Illuminated character



NOV. 24, 1931. c PRQUVTY 1,833,498

ILLUMINATED CHARACTER Filed Sept. 3. 1929 INVENTOR Them/ore GP/wz/zyATTORNEY Patented Nov. 24, 1931 urrsnsTATEs PATENT OFFICE THEODORE C.PROUTY, OF HERMOSA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO METLOX COR- PORATION,LTD., OF MANHATTAN BEACH, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALI- FORNIAILLUMINATED CHARACTER i Application filed September This inventionrelates to illuminated signs formed by individually illuminatedcharacters, and especially to such characters that are illuminated byincandescent electric lamps.

It is now well-known to form an illuminated character by the aid of anumber of ter the presents a sharp, definite outline.

L It another object of my invention to 11nprove in general, illuminatedcharacters of the kind discussed.

Preferably, I employ a ceramic character as a support for the lamps;this results in the advantage of securing a good looking day- .ig t sin; and furthermore, it provides a highly glazed surface that can be soarranged with respect to the lamps as to impart the desired bright andsharp luminescence to the character.

My invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objectswhich may be made more easily apparent from a consideration of oneembodiment of my invention. For this purpose I have shown a form in thedrawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. Ishall now proceed to describe this form in detail, which illustrates theeneral principles of my invention; but it is to be understood that thisdetailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since thescope of my invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a character embodying my invention; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the letter.

In the present instance, I show a letter A as embodying the features ofmy invention.

3. 1929. Serial No. 390,145.

This letter is made from a ceramic product 11, such as clay or porclain, having a webbed or channelled section, as shown most clearly inFig. 2. Thus the side flanges 12, 13 define a groove or channel 14 thatforms a visible outer surface of the character. A corresponding groove15 at the back of the letter serves to accommodate the wiring, sockets,and other elements needed for supplying current to lamps such as 16disposed in channel 14:.

The central Web 17, separating the channels I l and 15, can convenientlyserve as a support for the lamp sockets. Thus a series of spacedapertures 18 can be provided in the web l'l', into each of which can befastened a socket member 19. This socket member is made from insulationmaterial and formed to be inserted from the back of the character 11. Itis held in place in any appropriate manner,

asby a strap 20 extending alongside the socket in grooves 21 and throughaperture 18. Thls strap 1s made from a stiff Wire, so that by bendingits ends over the edge of the aperture 18, as indicated at 22, it canhold the socket 19 in the position shown.

The channel 1% is purposely made so deep that globe 16 does notsubstantially extend beyond the flanges 12, 13. Furthermore, the surface0" the channel 14 is preferably glazed so as to act as a reflectingsurface. The exposed upper end 23 of globe 16 is painted or frostedpreferably with tl e same color as that of the glaze in channel 14, andin such a way that some light nevertheless passes through the tip.However, the glowing filament does not form any annoying bright spot.

Most of the light is thrown into the channel 14, and is reflected fromthe surfaces thereof. The reflected rays pass out somewhat as indicatedat 24, and there is little diffusion. This results from the fact thatthere is little opportunity for any direct light to extend beyond theedges of the flanges 12,

The effect of this type of character illumination is novel, as itpresents a clear cut outline even at a distance. The character isperfectly legible and distinct. I attribute this to the manner in whichI confine the direct bright rays to the channel. 14, and permit onlyreflected light or dillused light from tip 23 to proceed from theeharacteiz I claim: v 71. An illuminated character comprlslng a ceramicsupport having a glazed channel forming a reflecting surface, saidchannel conformin to the form of the character and formed-by a pairoffianges and a connecting Web, and a series of electric lamps in thechanneland'supported by the aid of the Web so as to extend outwardlywith respect thereto,

' each of the lamps having its tip "portion painted with a materialhaving a color sub-i stantially similar to the glaze whereby directbright rays will be emitted only from the un painted portion ofthe-lamps, and said channel being deep enough so that the lamps aresubstantially entirely disposed therein where by the lamps emit directbright rays only to- Ward the reflecting surface.

2.- An illuminated character comprising a support having a glazedchannel forming a naaflecting surface, said channel conforming to theform of the character andv formed by a pair of flanges and a connectingWeb,-and a series of electriclamps in the channel-[and supported by'theaid of the Web so asto ex;-

tend outwardly with respect thereto, each of the lamps having its tipportionpainted With a material having-a. color substantially simi- 7 larto zthe glaze Wherebydirect bright r.ays r WILL be: emitted only fromthe unpainted vportion ot' the'lamps, and said channel being deep enoughso that the lamps are substantially entirely d sposed therein whereby.the

lamps emit direct bright rays only toward the reflecting: surface;

In testimony. whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

' TH ODORE C. PROUTY

